Have you ever baked a delicious apple pie without using apples? Well here is your chance, and you might just fool someone to think they are eating an apple pie. I fooled a few people.
- 2 cups water
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 30 buttery crackers, I used Ritz
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Combine water, sugar, cream of tartar and bring to boil. Add whole crackers, no need to stir. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell and sprinkle with lemon juice and cinnamon.
- 25 buttery crackers, finely crushed, one 225 g box of crackers will do for the filling and topping, you will have some crackers leftover.
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- Combine first three topping ingredients, add melted butter. Using your fingers or pastry blender mix until crumbly.
- Sprinkle over filling.
- Bake in a 400º oven for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350º and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Serve warm, plain, or with ice cream. You will think you are eating apple pie.
You most certainly fooled me! I still don't believe it - gonna have to start putting cameras up in your kitchen, how will I ever know what I am eating is actually what you say it is! A house of lies!
ReplyDeleteHeh heh, kidding. This was sooooo yummy! Thanks for the neat surprise.
I can't believe there aren't apples in there. Totally intrigued - love some Ritz crackers so I would love to try this!
ReplyDeleteWhat a blast from the past.
ReplyDeleteI remember this recipe from the Ritz Cracker box years ago.
Linda
This was Depression-era recipes as my grandmother did this when fruit was not available, and it was thrifty. Apples were out of our price bracket when they were not in season in my town.
ReplyDeleteI assure you, you will love this, and you will not know that there isn't apples in it.
My grandmother would put a little brown sugar in also.
Thank you for the memory lane recipe.
Wow, this brought back some memories! I used to make this pie back in the 70s, and no one will know there are not apples in the pie!
ReplyDeleteWow - it even "looks" like apples. So cool!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures, Betty!
ReplyDeleteKaila, look out, Grandma might try to feed you chocolate pudding with avocados in it yet. ;) (Did that to my kids once. Don't know if I could fool them twice). *smile*
In science classes, students make this as a "chemical pie" or an example of a chemical reaction with tasty results.
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat idea! I wonder what it would be like with some berries? My 2nd mom sometimes uses apples as a filler in a berry pie. I will be testing this out!
ReplyDeletehttp://thehomemakingfashionista.blogspot.com/
Wow, I must try this! I can't believe it. Sure looks good.
ReplyDeletewhat a great idea!
ReplyDeleteOhhh ..I used to make this a lot in my early years of marriage ! I loved getting the people to guess what kind of pie they were eating and they were positive it was apple... and would not believe it was otherwise even after I confessed to the Ritz crackers... and they do have to be Ritz !! smile..
ReplyDeleteThanks for the memory, Betty!
(hmmm.. so much for removing the 'healthy' ingredient in apple pie, huh? smile)
Maybe I'm missing the point?? Why would we make a pie without the apples? Colour me puzzled! So do tell!
ReplyDeleteOther than the humor value? I don't see it either. Ritz crackers are inferior both nutritionally and economically to apples.
ReplyDeleteMy mother who was married during the depression, loved to make good things with her small amount of money for groceries, and this was one of the things she liked to make. Mary and Anonymous, we are remembering some people who influenced us during one of the hardest times in the life of our country. Have a little respect.
ReplyDeleteJo
I remember this recipe using Ritz crackers. It was surprisingly good. Have you ever made Girl Scout style thin mint cookies with Ritz crackers? Another great recipe.
ReplyDeleteOh, my! I haven't eaten this in at least 50 years! But I remember when women in our farming community made it! In fact I ran across a recipe for it in a 50+ year old cookbook published to benefit the Woodford County, Illinois homemakers' extension clubs.
ReplyDeleteAmen Jo.
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to try this....it will be fun to fool my husband, who loves apple pie. I think I'll make it on April fools day :)
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing!!!
I cannot believe that this family site would encourage the use of a highly processed food as the "food" main ingredient. I would never feed this to my family. It is full of hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup.
ReplyDeleteThe "blissful ignorance" of the praise for this non-food greatly concerns me.
Why do people always have to have drama? If u don't want to make the pie don't! Maybe your family always had everything, some didn't. This is a nice reminder of how hard my grandma always tried to still do for her family (and my grandma was making this before all the hydrogenated oils and high fructose and empty calories were such big issues! Let us just sit back and smile and even make the damn pie if we want!
DeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteI don't usually comment, but what a mixed reaction to a recipie! Your site is great and gives people recipies to use or not use and it is our desicion.
I've never tried "mock" apple pie, but have seen the recipie a number of times and think I may just have to try it.
I love your site, keep up the great work!
Joy - I think this site looks at the big picture - that includes healthy food from the farm/garden, foods from memory and spirit - it is not a nutritional breakdown or superfoods list of recipes. So much goes into a diet - perhaps this site is not for you and the others that commented - though you are free to comment and you are also free to not make a recipe - I really don't think a slice of this pie is going to kill you - is your diet that pure- really? Greg
ReplyDeleteI saw the finished product...yummy! ...unfortunately didn't get to taste it yet since the 'photo session' was not complete! lol Next time Mamma!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to add my comment if I may - I'm of the opinion that food is not just a means to keep the body going. The fact that there is this vast variety of food that God has supplied and the unending ways to combine these foods tells me that food supplies us with more than sustenance and health. It also provides creative satisfaction, emotional pleasure and wonderful memories.
ReplyDeleteCertainly when we try to eliminate all unhealthy items we lose much of the joy that food can bring!
Wow..what a mixed reaction this recipe brings.I just had to put my two cents in. I love bringing back the old recipes from depression days, when our families were struggling to put a meal on the table. My Grandma made this years ago and as I remember it brought fun to our table...everyone guessing what was in the pie. You can't beat that family time around the table.That's what is missing in so many of our homes. Let's not be so serious...have some fun.
ReplyDeleteBalisha
I have a number of old cookbook and those published during the depression and WW2 contain many "Mock" recipes such as this. I read somewhere that the Bristish diet during WW2 was healthier than before or afterwards - these mock recipes didn't hurt them at all (brought some joy to the evening table).
ReplyDeleteLive life a little:) thanks for sharing this great recipe.
Wow looking at the picture you would not guess, I have to try this, this looks so fun, I like doing fun different things for my kids. Thanks, I love your site, glad I found it.
ReplyDeleteWell I made this yesterday and I was Blown Away! It really tastes like apple pie. It is sooooo good.
ReplyDeleteI made this pie yrs. ago & it was GREAT--I would have sworn it was made with apples, had I not made it myself. I'm happy to see the recipe again. One piece of pie is not going to hurt anyone, so I am not so concerned with the nutritional content--it's just an easy and fun pie to make & a great substitution when you sometimes don't have apples on hand. Try it--you won't be disappointed! :)
ReplyDeleteBut, why?
ReplyDelete